Tray-shape packaging

ABSTRACT

Tray-like pack with a sealing rim passing round the removal opening for sealing on a sealing foil or film and a rolling rim radially outwardly connected to said sealing rim and at least in a partial area the rolling rim has a smaller height than in the remaining area.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a tray-like pack with a sealing rimpassing round the removal opening for sealing on a sealing foil or filmand a rolling rim radially outwardly connected to said sealing rim.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Such tray packs are conventionally used in the food industry,particularly for smaller pet food portions. The filled tray pack istightly sealed by sealing a sealing foil onto a sealing rim passinground the removal opening. To permit an opening of the pack by drawingoff the sealing foil, conventionally in a partial area, e.g. in the caseof a polygonal tray in one of the corners, is formed an opening tagprojecting radially outwards over the sealing rim and a rolling rimconnecting onto the same. The tag defines a tear initiation point forpulling off the sealing foil.

[0003] In conventional tray packs the top of the rolling rim projectsover and beyond the sealing rim plane. On sealing on the sealing foil,as a result of the counterpressure of the rolling rim, a deformationoccurs in the tag area thereof and consequently in said area a strongerconnection of the sealing foil to the tray pack. Thus, in the tag areaan increased tear initiation force occurs on opening the pack, which isundesired particularly for user convenience reasons.

[0004] Therefore the problem of the present invention is to provide sucha tray pack which can be opened with reduced force expenditure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the invention, this problem is solved in that, atleast in a partial area, the rolling rim has a smaller height than inthe remaining area.

[0006] Preferably, the top of the rolling rim in said partial area doesnot project over the sealing rim plane.

[0007] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the invention proposesthat the top of the rolling rim, relative to the sealing rim plane,drops away downwards in said partial area.

[0008] Particular preference is given to an embodiment in which anopening tag of the sealing foil is located in said partial area.

[0009] As a result of the measures proposed by the invention in asurprisingly simple manner there is a significant reduction to the tearinitiation force from the opening tag on drawing off the sealing foil.Even a slight lowering of the top of the rolling rim in said partialarea leads to an improvement. Particularly favourable results areobtained if the top of the rolling rim in said partial area does notproject over the sealing rim plane or even drops away downwards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinafterrelative to the attached drawings, wherein show:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray pack according to theinvention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is a partial cross-section along line II-II in the partialarea A of the rolling rim;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section along line III-III in thelowered partial area B of the rolling rim;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014]FIG. 1 shows a typical tray pack 10 for pet foods, here inrectangular form. It is pointed out that the invention is suitable forall conceivable geometrical shapes of tray packs, including circular,symmetrical or asymmetrical polygonal.

[0015] Around the removal opening of the tray pack 10 is provided asealing rim 12 for sealing on an only partly shown sealing foil or film30. A rolling rim 20 typical for such packs is radially outwardlyconnected to said sealing rim 12. In the partial area A representingmost of the circumference of the tray pack 10 the rolling rim isconstructed in conventional manner so that its top 22 projects over theplane of the sealing rim 12 (FIG. 2).

[0016] According to the invention, in a smaller partial area B, whichessentially coincides with the area of the sealing foil 30 in which theopening tag 32 is formed, a smaller partial area B is lowered. In FIG. 3is shown the embodiment in which the top 22 of the rolling rim 20,relative to the plane of the sealing rim 12, drops away downwards.

[0017] On sealing the sealing foil 30 onto the sealing rim 12 thepressure of the rolling rim 20 in partial area B is consequentlysignificantly reduced or in the preferred embodiment shown eliminated,so that the tear initiation force on pulling off the sealing foil 30 foropening the pack is significantly reduced.

[0018] No great significance is attached to the material chosen for thetray pack or the sealing foil or film, because the object of theinvention can be achieved with any standard material combination.

[0019] The features of the invention disclosed n the above description,drawings and claims can be essential to the implementation of thevarious embodiments of the invention, either singly or in randomcombination.

What is claimed is:
 1. Tray-like pack with a sealing rim passing round the removal opening for sealing foil and a rolling rim connected radially outwards to said sealing rim, characterized in that, at least in a partial area (B), the rolling rim (20) has a smaller height than in the remaining area (A).
 2. Pack according to claim 1, characterized in that in the partial area (B) the top (22) of the rolling rim (20) does not project over the plane of the sealing rim (12).
 3. Pack according to claim 2, characterized in that, relative tot he plane of the sealing rim, in the partial area (BO the top (22) of the rolling rim (20) drops away downwards.
 4. Pack according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an opening tag (32) of the sealing foil (30) is located in the partial area (B). 